1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing, and more particularly, to a method of frame interpolation for frame rate up-conversion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to meet low-bandwidth requirements, video display applications such as video players or mobile video systems have been limited to low frame rates. But from these sources, some image quality issues such as motion blur and flicker can be improved by increasing the frame rate. Therefore, increasing the frame rate by way of a method of frame interpolation for frame rate up-conversion (FRUC)—that is, interpolating an image frame between two original image frames—is a useful method of improving image quality from low frame rate sources.
In the prior art method of frame interpolation for frame rate up-conversion, an interpolated pixel value is directly determined to be the same value as that pixel in the previous frame, or is determined as the average of two pixel values from the two adjacent frames. When the prior method of frame interpolation is applied to an LCD display using the pixel value of a previous frame as an interpolated pixel value, however, it is unable to improve motion blur and flicker artifacts, and also fails to shorten the response time of the LCD. When the prior method of frame interpolation is applied to an LCD display using the average pixel value of two adjacent frames as an interpolated pixel value, however, it is capable of improving motion blur and flicker artifacts but still fails to shorten the response time of the LCD.
Therefore, a novel method of frame interpolation for frame rate up-conversion is required to both improve the motion blur and flicker issues and to shorten the LCD's response time.